Create support plans for production workloads

Creating Support Plans for Production Workloads
Creating comprehensive support plans for production workloads is crucial to ensure that all software and services your workload relies on are fully supported. By selecting the right support level, documenting the necessary information, and keeping points of contact updated, teams can quickly resolve service disruptions and software issues, minimizing downtime and maintaining service quality.

Enable Support for All Dependencies

Enable support for all software and services that your production workload depends on. Ensure that support plans are in place for cloud services, third-party software, and any other critical dependencies. By enabling support, teams can address issues more effectively and receive the assistance needed to maintain workload stability.

Select an Appropriate Support Level

Choose the appropriate support level to meet the service-level needs of your production workload. This includes considering factors such as response time, availability of technical support, and support hours. For mission-critical workloads, it may be necessary to have 24/7 support to minimize the impact of any incidents on end users. Selecting the correct support level helps ensure that you have the right support coverage when it matters most.

Document Support Plans and Procedures

Document support plans for each software or service dependency, including how to request support, escalation procedures, and relevant points of contact. This documentation should be readily accessible so that team members know exactly who to contact and how to initiate support during an incident. Detailed support plans minimize confusion during critical incidents and streamline the process of obtaining help.

Verify Contact Information Regularly

Implement mechanisms to ensure that support points of contact are kept up to date. Contact information for vendors and support providers should be verified regularly to ensure it is accurate and accessible. Having correct and up-to-date contact information reduces delays in reaching support teams during service disruptions.

Plan for Service Disruptions

Create contingency plans for service disruptions involving your dependencies. Support plans should include steps for addressing potential failures, backup procedures, and information on alternative resources if a critical dependency is unavailable. Planning for disruptions ensures that your team can respond quickly and maintain service levels even in the event of failures.

Supporting Questions

• How do you ensure that all dependencies of your production workload are adequately supported?
• What support levels are in place for each service or software your workload relies on?
• How is contact information for support providers kept current and easily accessible?

Roles and Responsibilities

Support Coordinator
Responsibilities:

• Enable support plans for all software and services critical to the production workload.
• Maintain documentation of support procedures, including contacts and escalation paths for each dependency.

Operations Manager
Responsibilities:

• Select appropriate support levels for each dependency based on service-level requirements and the criticality of the workload.
• Verify that all support points of contact are accurate and up to date, ensuring that support is available when needed.

Incident Responder
Responsibilities:

• Use documented support plans during incidents to initiate support requests and escalate issues as needed.
• Communicate with support vendors and ensure that any ongoing issues are resolved promptly to minimize impact.

Artifacts

• Support Plan Document: A detailed document for each service or software dependency, outlining how to request support, escalation procedures, and points of contact.
• Contact Information Log: A log of contact information for all support providers, including vendor support details and internal escalation points.
• Contingency Plan for Service Disruptions: A plan that outlines steps for responding to service disruptions, including backup resources and failover procedures.

Relevant AWS Tools

Support and Monitoring Tools

• AWS Support Plans: Choose from different AWS Support Plans (Basic, Developer, Business, or Enterprise) to meet your workload requirements and provide the appropriate support level.
• AWS Trusted Advisor: Provides guidance to help you optimize your workload and receive recommendations on how to best utilize AWS support services.

Incident Management Tools

• AWS Systems Manager Incident Manager: Manages incidents by providing structured playbooks and runbooks, and allows integration with support providers to streamline resolution.
• Amazon CloudWatch: Monitors production workloads, providing data that can be used to inform support providers of issues during a service disruption.

Collaboration and Documentation Tools

• AWS Systems Manager OpsCenter: Integrates with AWS services to manage operational issues, providing a single view of incidents and the ability to contact support.
• Amazon WorkDocs: Stores and manages documentation related to support plans, making it easy for team members to access support procedures and contact information.